Ford is partnering with Google to “reinvent connected vehicle customer experiences” and to accelerate its transformation plan under a new six-year tie-up.

The firms say the partnership will enable customers to benefit from unique Ford and Lincoln digital experiences built on top of Google’s Android operating system and with Google apps and services built-in

The partnership will begin in 2023 and see future Ford and Lincoln vehicles powered by the Google Android operating system, with built-in Google apps and services, including map and voice technology.

Ford has also named Google Cloud as its preferred cloud provider in a move to benefit from Google’s artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and data analytics technologies to accelerate the automaker’s digital transformation.

The work will also include projects to enhance customer experiences and make the most of “disruptive, data-driven opportunities” under a new collaborative group, dubbed Team Upshift. This could include developing new retail experiences when buying a vehicle and developing new ownership offers based on connected vehicle data and other areas.

Jim Farley, president and CEO of Ford, commented: “As Ford continues the most profound transformation in our history with electrification, connectivity and self-driving, Google and Ford coming together establishes an innovation powerhouse truly able to deliver a superior experience for our customers and modernise our business.”

“The partnership will provide our customers with the best of both worlds,” he added. “The integration will allow our team to focus on delivering unique services to our Ford and Lincoln customers while seamlessly providing access to Google’s world-class apps and services.”